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USOC propose exclusion of Olympic officials from WADA governance

A radical plan to exclude anybody involved in sporting governance from a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Board position has been included among a set of United States Olympic Committee (USOC) reform proposals.

The proposals, included in a "position paper on anti-doping reform" published today, were announced following discussions with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) Quarterly Board meeting in Colorado Springs.

Producing a "clearly independent anti-doping body with overriding global authority" is the prevailing theme of the paper.

Greater funding and improved support for whistleblowers are other key ideas.

But the section on independence is the most eyecatching element and is something that puts them on a possible collision course with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"WADA should be governed independently of the sports organisations it watches and works with, and needs to have clear, transparent policies on governance," the proposals state.

"No person serving in a governance role in the IOC, any NOC (National Olympic Committee), any IF (International Federation), or ANOC (Association of National Olympic Committees) should also serve in a governance role for WADA."

If implemented, every current sporting representative in WADA would be ineligible to stand.

It is thought that the central element of the idea is to avoid a conflict of interests wherein WADA officials also hold influential sporting positions.

For instance, WADA President Sir Craig Reedie was himself a member of the IOC Executive Board and a vice-president for the first three years of his tenure until last year.

No USOC or National Federation member has any sort of governance role within USADA.

But, while accepting of this problem and adamant to separate sporting interests from testing or sanctioning, the IOC are thought to believe that a complete absence of sporting officials from WADA's Foundation Board and Executive Committee is a step too far.

However, USADA - which receives approximately 33 per cent of its funding from USOC - and other National Anti-Doping Organisations have welcomed today's paper.

“The positions are sensible, clear and very much in line with the Copenhagen Declaration," a spokesperson told insidethegames.

"It’s especially encouraging to see a National Olympic Committee publicly reiterate the need for a truly independent WADA - that’s an important step in the right direction.”

International National Anti-Doping Organisations (iNADO) chief executive Joseph De Pencier added: "We've said for a long time that true and lasting anti-doping reform has to start with independence.

"For the NADOs out there fighting for a fair and level playing field, it is really encouraging to see such an influential body, with is both the NOC and the National Paralympic Committee, step up and reiterate many of the NADO reform principles - including a truly independent WADA - that we laid out in the Copenhagen Declaration last August."

Other ideas proposed by USOC include "robust support" for investigative work to uncover systematic doping.

"Whistleblowers must be encouraged to share what they know and protected against retribution," the paper adds.

"This enhanced fight against doping requires increased investment.

"The IOC, the NOCs and the IFs should all contribute on a fair and equitable basis, complementing Governmental support."

It comes as USOC continue to play a balancing act between supporting radical American calls for anti-doping reform and avoiding upsetting sporting stakeholders as Los Angeles bids against Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

WADA are due to discuss reforms at a Governance Group meeting tomorrow in Lausanne.

About the author

Since joining insidethegames.biz in 2013, Butler has travelled to a variety of major global sporting events, including the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as well as the most recent editions of the Asian, European and Pan American Games in Incheon, Baku and Toronto. He has also attended the last four International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sessions and has particularly enjoyed tackling the politics and diplomacy of the Olympic Movement.

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Fact of the day

At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Iranian judoka Arash Miresmaeili was disqualified for weighing in at nearly four pounds above the limit for his weight class of his under-66 kilograms match against an Israeli opponent Ehud Vaks in the first round. It was claimed Miresmaeili had gone on an eating binge to protest the International Olympic Committee's recognition of the state of Israel. Iran does not recognise the state of Israel, and Miresmaeili's actions won praise from high-ranking Iranian officials. Mohammad Khatami, the country's President at the time, was quoted as saying Miresmaili's actions would be "recorded in the history of Iranian glories". He was later awarded $125,000 by the Government - the same amount given to Olympic gold medallists.

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